Self-closing hinge

ABSTRACT

Coil springs are telescoped into holes formed in the plastic plunger of a self-closing hinge. Projecting posts are molded integrally with the bottoms of the holes and are telescoped into the springs to reduce the danger of the springs escaping from the holes if the adjacent plastic wall of the plunger should break.

I Umted States Patent 11 1 [111 3,908,228

Newcomer 1 1 Sept. 30, 1975 SELF-CLOSING HINGE 3.550.186 12/1970 Swartz16/180 3.613.151 10/1971 Anderson et 111.. 16/180 inventor: John loNewcomer; Rockford Wilbur. IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII u [73]Assignce: Amerock Corporation, Rockford, Ill.

Primary EmminerGeo. V. Larkin [22] Fllcd' Dec- 1974 Arturnqv, Agent, orFirm-Wolfe, Hubbard, Lcydig, [21 Appl. No.: 534,738 Voit & Osann, Ltd.

[52] US. Cl 16/180: 16/188 57 ABSTRACT [51] Int. Cl. E05D 1/12 I [58]Field of Search 16/72 76 82 85 C011 springs are telescoped into holesformed in the 16/5O 188 49' 129 132 plastic plunger of a self-closinghinge. Projecting posts 16/134, 139, 180 are molded integrally with thebottoms of the holes and are telescoped into the springs to reduce thedun- [56] References Cited ger of the springs escaping from the holes ifthe adja- UNXTED STATES PATENTS cent plastic wall of the plunger shouldbreak.

3.391.420 7/1968 Anderson 16/139 2 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures U.S. PatentSept. 30,1975

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WWW? SELF-CLOSING HINGE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This inventionrelates to a self-closing hinge and, more particularly, to aself-closing hinge of the same general type as disclosed in Anderson USPat. No. 3,391,420. In such a hinge, a plastic, block-like plunger issupported on one of the pivotally connected hinge parts and is urgedagainst the other hinge part by at least one coiled compression springwhich is telescoped into a hole in the plunger.

Several million hinges of the foregoing type have been manufactured andsold by the assignee of the present invention. In a few of these hinges,one of the plastic side walls of the plunger has cracked and broken soas to create an opening leading into the springreceiving hole. Ifsufficiently large, the opening allows the spring to escape from itshole and to fly out of the plunger. There is, therefore, a possibilitythat the spring might strike a person near the hinge or, if the hinge ismounted on a kitchen cabinet, the spring might fall into a container offood and ultimately cause personal inury.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The general aim of the present invention is toprovide a self-closing hinge having a new and improved plunger whichbetter captivates the spring within the hole so as to reduce the dangerof the spring flying out of the hole if the plastic wall of "the plungershould break.

A more detailed object is to achieve the foregoing by providing aplunger in which a projecting post is molded integrally with the bottomof the hole and is telescoped into the spring to help retain the springin the hole.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspectiveview of a cabinet equipped with a new and improved hinge incorporatingthe features of the invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-section taken substantiallyalong the line 2--2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary cross-section taken substantially along the line33 of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The hinge shown in thedrawings is generally similar to that disclosed in FIGS. 9 to 12 of theaforementioned patent to which reference should be made for a detailedexplanation of the construction and operation of the hinge. Briefly, thehinge includes a door part or wing 11 mounted on a cabinet door 13 andpivotally connected by a hinge pin 14 to a frame part or wing 15 mountedon a cabinet frame 16. A plunger 17 is slidably supported on the framewing 15 and is pressed into engagement with a notched curl 19 on thedoor wing 11 so as to automatically swing the door 13 to and hold thedoor in a closed position after the door has initially been swung towardits closed position.

The plunger 17 is molded from comparatively hard and rigid plastic suchas Delrin and is generally block-like in shape. Thus, the plungerincludes one side 20 (FIG. 2) which engages the curl 19, an oppositeside 21 which faces the frame wing 15, and two substantially parallelsides 22 and 23. The sides 20, 21 and 22 are substantially covered byother parts of the hinge but the side 23 is virtually exposed andunshielded as is apparent from FIGS. 1 and 2.

To press the plunger 17 against the curl 19, two coiled compressionsprings 25 (FIGS. 2 and 3) are telescoped into side-by-side holes 26formed in the plunger. Each hole opens out of the side 21 of the plungerand has a closed bottom 27 located adjacent the opposite side 20 of theplunger. The springs are compressed between the frame wing 15 and theclosed bottoms of the holes.

Because of the holes 26, the plunger wall 29 which is adjacent the side23 of the plunger 17 is relatively thin as is apparent from FIGS. 2 and3. It has been found that, in some hinges, the wall 29 fractures afterthe hinge has been placed in use. A severe fracture will create anopening sufficiently large for either or both springs 25 to fly out ofthe holes 26 through the unshielded wall 29 and possibly cause apersonal injury.

In accordance with the present invention, projecting posts 30 (FIGS. 2and 3) are molded integrally with the bottoms 27 of the holes 26 and aretelescoped into the springs 25 to help retain the springs in the holesin the event the plunger wall 29 breaks. As a result of the posts 30engaging the inner sides of the spring coils, the springs are restrictedagainst lateral movement and thus much more of the plastic material ofthe plunger 17 must be broken or torn away before the springs can escapefrom the plunger. Accordingly, the plunger of the present inventionsignificantly reduces the risk of personal injury in the event the wall29 breaks and exposes the springs 25.

I claim as my invention:

l. A self-closing hinge having first and second pivotally connectedparts, a plastic, block-like plunger supported on said first part andengageable with said second part, a hole opening out of one side of saidplunger and having a closed bottom located adjacent the opposite side ofthe plunger, and a coil spring telescoped into said hole and compressedbetween said first part and the bottom of said hole, the improvement insaid hinge comprising, a post molded integrally with and projecting fromthe bottom of said hole and telescoped into said spring to helpretainthe latter within said hole in the event a third side of saidplunger breaks and creates an opening leading into said hole.

2. A self-closing hinge as defined in claim 1 further including a secondhole opening out of said one side of said plunger and having a closedbottom located adjacent the opposite side of the plunger, a second coilspring telescoped into said second hole and compressed between saidfirst part and the bottom of said second hole, and a second post moldedintegrally with and projecting from the bottom of said second hole andtelescoped into said second spring.

Disclaimer 3,908,228.-J0im I. Newcomer, Rockford, Ill. SELF-CLOSINGHINGE.

Patent dated Sept. 30, 1975. Disclaimer filed Aug. 25, 1978, by theassignee, Amerock Corpomtion.

Hereby enters this disclaimer to all claims of said patent.

[Oficz'al Gazette Octobew" 1'), 1978.]

1. A self-closing hinge having first and second pivotally connectedparts, a plastic, block-like plunger supported on said first part andengageable with said second part, a hole opening out of one side of saidplunger and having a closed bottom located adjacent the opposite side ofthe plunger, and a coil spring telescoped into said hole and compressedbetween said first part and the bottom of said hole, the improvement insaid hinge comprising, a post molded integrally with and projecting fromthe bottom of said hole and telescoped into said spring to help retainthe latter within said hole in the event a third side of said plungerbreaks and creates an opening leading into said hole.
 2. A self-closinghinge as defined in claim 1 further including a second hole opening outof said one side of said plunger and having a closed bottom locatedadjacent the opposite side of the plunger, a second coil springtelescoped into said second hole and compressed between said first partand the bottom of said second hole, and a second post molded integrallywith and projecting from the bottom of said second hole and telescopedinto said second spring.